State budget outlines cuts, taxes
Governor plans to increase UW System funding, tuition hike likely
McLean Bennett
Issue date: 2/23/09 Section: Campus News
A proposed state budget that hopes to make as much as $2.2 billion in spending cuts over the next two years will likely find college students paying a little more to go to school, several state legislators say.
A press release issued by Gov. Jim Doyle's office last week stated that the governor's proposed two-year state budget would provide an increase for Wisconsin schools and students with almost everything else being cut. It also stated that there will be modest tuition increases.
State Rep. Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) said he thinks "students had better hold on to their wallets," though another local representative said a tuition hike now is simply unavoidable.
"We are going through tough times - who's going to argue that?" said Rep. Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire) who added that though he feels Madison's political environment "is favorable for education," a rise in tuition is likely.
"Coming from a parent who's going to be helping my children get through college, it's not something I want to happen anymore than anyone else," Smith said. "It certainly is the lay of the land that everybody's going to have to pay a little more; hopefully that doesn't last more than a few years."
Even before he had a chance to comb through the proposed budget, UW-Eau Claire interim provost Marty Wood said he is already skeptical of the budget's plans to support higher education in the state.
Wood said he's no expert in reading the "fine print" of state budgets, but added his understanding so far of the governor's proposed outlines for education have him less optimistic now than he was several days ago.
"I think that the (governor's) press release paints a rosier picture than the fine print," he said. "But I'm not sure we understand all the fine print."
Wood said it could be some time before anyone knows just how the budget will impact the UW System and tuition costs at Eau Claire.
"It does look like we're going to have to adjust to a more limited set of circumstances than we thought a few days ago," Wood added.
Aside from education, the governor's proposed budget seeks to protect health care, public safety and the state's job market while at the same time making more than $2 billion in spending cuts, according to the press release.
The budget also hopes to protect the middle class from tax increases, according to the same press release, though some representatives say they are skeptical of the budget's impacts on taxes in the state.
"The governor taxes almost every entity he can, and I think right down to what's called an iPod tax," said Suder, who explained that the budget will seek to impose new taxes on certain things - including cell phone ringtones and iPod music downloads.
The budget still has to go through the state Legislature before being finalized, Smith said, adding that the Joint Finance Commission will be the first to review the budget before the state Assembly and Senate can begin working on it.
A press release issued by Gov. Jim Doyle's office last week stated that the governor's proposed two-year state budget would provide an increase for Wisconsin schools and students with almost everything else being cut. It also stated that there will be modest tuition increases.
State Rep. Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) said he thinks "students had better hold on to their wallets," though another local representative said a tuition hike now is simply unavoidable.
"We are going through tough times - who's going to argue that?" said Rep. Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire) who added that though he feels Madison's political environment "is favorable for education," a rise in tuition is likely.
"Coming from a parent who's going to be helping my children get through college, it's not something I want to happen anymore than anyone else," Smith said. "It certainly is the lay of the land that everybody's going to have to pay a little more; hopefully that doesn't last more than a few years."
Even before he had a chance to comb through the proposed budget, UW-Eau Claire interim provost Marty Wood said he is already skeptical of the budget's plans to support higher education in the state.
Wood said he's no expert in reading the "fine print" of state budgets, but added his understanding so far of the governor's proposed outlines for education have him less optimistic now than he was several days ago.
"I think that the (governor's) press release paints a rosier picture than the fine print," he said. "But I'm not sure we understand all the fine print."
Wood said it could be some time before anyone knows just how the budget will impact the UW System and tuition costs at Eau Claire.
"It does look like we're going to have to adjust to a more limited set of circumstances than we thought a few days ago," Wood added.
Aside from education, the governor's proposed budget seeks to protect health care, public safety and the state's job market while at the same time making more than $2 billion in spending cuts, according to the press release.
The budget also hopes to protect the middle class from tax increases, according to the same press release, though some representatives say they are skeptical of the budget's impacts on taxes in the state.
"The governor taxes almost every entity he can, and I think right down to what's called an iPod tax," said Suder, who explained that the budget will seek to impose new taxes on certain things - including cell phone ringtones and iPod music downloads.
The budget still has to go through the state Legislature before being finalized, Smith said, adding that the Joint Finance Commission will be the first to review the budget before the state Assembly and Senate can begin working on it.
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tomfeinberg
Custom Essay Writing
posted 5/06/09 @ 4:48 AM CST
"I think that the (governor's) press release paints a rosier picture than the fine print, but I'm not sure we understand all the fine print," totally agree. (Continued…)
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